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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.-- One of the biggest bills in recent years has been filed in the Missouri Legislature.

The proposed overhaul of the state's criminal laws runs to nearly 600 pages. If passed, it would mark the first major update of the Missouri Criminal Code since 1979.

The bill would add a new classification of felony crimes and change the range of punishment in a way that The Missouri Bar says would "more appropriately correspond with the nature of the crime." It also would increase the amount of fines that could be levied on some criminal defendants.

The legislation was filed last week by Republican House member Stanley Cox, of Sedalia. A similar bill is expected to be filed by Democratic Sen. Jolie Justus, of Kansas City.